(CNN) - For Americans applying for a passport, or citizens of other countries trying to get a visa to the United States, the current government shutdown won't have any effect, the State Department says.

The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development are "national security agencies," which means they have national security responsibilities such as representing the United States overseas and representing to Americans what the country's foreign interests are.

soundoff(8 Responses)

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House -aka- No Redemption Votes

"USAID activities "can be sustained on a limited basis for a short period of time,"
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I'm sure this was part of the republican shutdown strategy as well. You know how republicans feel about the less fortunate.

October 1, 2013 10:08 am at 10:08 am |

Jeff Brown in Jersey

Get your passport and flee the Republican insanity!

October 1, 2013 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

Gurgyl

Why we flee? Make GOP Taliban thugs flee.

October 1, 2013 10:28 am at 10:28 am |

just saying

good.... now all the lefties lunatics can flee to canada. please go wreck that country lnstead of this one.

October 1, 2013 10:33 am at 10:33 am |

Donna

Blame Republicans For Obamacare
Blame the republicans for Obamacare. If the republicans had introduced a single payer system ( the ONLY system that will allow us, as an entire nation, to negotiate better health care prices), then we wouldn't have Obamacare today. But since the republicans introduced NOTHING (as usual), we now have Obamacare. Blame the republicans for Obamacare. After all it was their idea, supported by the Heritage Foundation, and implemented by Mitt Romney!!!
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Looks like the medicinal marijuana in Colorado is being fully embraced by the Democrats. Totally hilarious.... The ONLY thing they have accomplished, that bares the name of Obama and they still refuse to accept responsibility for their disaster. And you want these people in elected office? Liars and frauds? No wonder the country is a mess.

October 1, 2013 11:17 am at 11:17 am |

Zerubbabel

I am just sayin, the fact of the matter is that the PPACA is the law of the land, validated by the House, Senate, POTUS, SCOTUS, and the voting public. There are constitutionally mandated protocols for repealing/delaying laws, namely the legislative and electoral process. Holding the funding of the gov't or the full faith and credit of the nation as a hostage, until your ransom demands are met, is not one of those constitutional protocols. Those who are destroying this nation are those who will not accept the objective fact that their opinion has lost in the marketplace of ideas, dems hold the White House and Senate. They cling to their subjective views and ignore the rule of law that this nation was founded and operates on. Their form of domestic terrorism is no different than that of the Muslim Brotherhood or Al Quaeda. They may not use guns and bombs, but the mentality is the same. Achieve their subjective aim at any cost, darn the innocents harmed by the collateral damage or if Rome burns. Their desire to subject the majority to their minority views outweighs the objective need to adhere to facts, established norms and reality. Accept it, you lost, denial and delusion is not a governing policy.

October 1, 2013 11:19 am at 11:19 am |

Data Driven

@just saying,

"Wreck that country instead of this one"

This one may already be wrecked by about 39 "tea party" Congresscritters in the House who refuse to pay our country's bills.

October 1, 2013 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

just saying

Data Driven
@just saying,
"Wreck that country instead of this one"
This one may already be wrecked by about 39 "tea party" Congresscritters in the House who refuse to pay our country's bills.
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???? they passed numerous bills to pay the bills. how many has the democrat senate passed and how many has obama signed? none. the constitution gives the house this power. it is the people's house and controls the purse strings of government by design. it is a check and balance built into the system by the founding fathers. obama and the senate democrats need to understand and recognize this constitutional power. they need to learn to deal and compromise. to date they7 have refused to do either. they only make demands. that will get them nowhere. obama thinks he's a dictator and has not learned how to govern and bring people together. the worse president this country has ever seen, far surpassing the disastrous jimmy carter.